Editorial | Synchronized signals

The daily commute is getting better for some Louisville drivers, since many traffic signals have been re-timed, local traffic experts say.

Over the past several years, 162 signals on 11 major roads have been synchronized, which is saving drivers time and money on daily commutes, The Courier-Journal's Patrick T. Sullivan reported Monday.

City engineers estimate drivers are saving a collective $1 million on fuel each year and 500,000 vehicle hours, Sullivan reported, and the less time spent idling by motorists has cut exhaust emissions by 263 tons a year.

The re-timing of the signals will never please all drivers, but it can help reduce travel times for many Louisville motorists. The synchronization generally helps those who commute with the flow of traffic - into the city during the morning hours and away from the city in the afternoon.

Since 2010, Jefferson County has experienced a 1.3 percent population increase, according to the United States Census Bureau. With more people, and more people traveling on Louisville roads, it's important that signals are timed to allow for the best flow of traffic.

"There's a lot more green time and less interruption from side streets," former Metro Councilman Hal Heiner said in Sullivan's article. "Cars can move more quickly down the major routes."

The city is also using a pilot project on Bardstown Road in Fern Creek to see if wirelessly controlling signals will help traffic flow more smoothly in the area.

For the project, about 15 intersections will be tested using wireless signals that send information back to the Traffic Control Center in City Hall. The data received will allow traffic engineers to see if re-timed lights are working properly.

If the pilot program is successful, the city would like to expand its use of wireless controls. Traffic engineers could use the information to adjust signal patterns at times with heavy traffic, such as Kentucky Derby Day, Sullivan reported.

Though commuting times and frustrations are expected, improving traffic patterns will make traveling a little less of a hassle for local motorists.

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Editorial | Synchronized signals

The daily commute is getting better for some Louisville drivers, since many traffic signals have been re-timed, local traffic experts say.